1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an audio communication device and an audio communication method that are suitable for use in performing audio communication via a network using a computer apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the recent development of data communication networks such as the Internet and computer apparatuses, call service that allows audio communication to be performed with a specific person at another end of the communication in real time via a communication network has spread rapidly in place of a conventional telephone system in which audio communication is performed via a telephone switchboard. As such a call service that allows audio communication to be performed via a communication network, a service referred to as an IP telephone, in which a telephone call is made using IP (Internet Protocol) technology, is known.
In the IP telephone, voice in telephone conversation is converted to an analog audio signal by a predetermined audio device such for example as a microphone, further the analog audio signal is converted into digital audio data, and then the digital audio data is transmitted via a network. Digital audio data received via the network is converted to an analog audio signal, the analog audio signal is amplified by an amplifier, and then the amplified analog audio signal is output as audio using a predetermined audio device such as a speaker or the like. The IP telephone is used by a dedicated telephone set using a similar handset to that of a conventional telephone device, for example. In addition, the IP telephone can be used by utilizing a computer apparatus such as a personal computer or the like.
A case where the IP telephone is used by utilizing a personal computer will be described in brief with reference to FIG. 19. A computer apparatus 400 is for example a personal computer. The computer apparatus 400 is connected to the Internet by wire or by radio (not shown).
The computer apparatus 400 is connected with a mouse 410 as a pointing device. The mouse 410 has a USB (Universal Serial Bus) interface, for example, and is connected to a USB terminal provided to the computer apparatus 400. Recently, a mainstream operating system as an OS (Operating System) for the computer apparatus 400 implements an interface with a user using a GUI (Graphical User Interface). Therefore a pointing device such as the mouse 410 or the like for specifying an arbitrary position on a screen and operating a button or the like displayed on the screen is an indispensable input device for the computer apparatus 400.
A so-called notebook type personal computer as the computer apparatus 400 configured so as to be portable includes in advance a pointing device such as a touch pad for specifying a position by touching an area provided in a predetermined manner with a finger or the like, a trackball for specifying a position by rotating a ball disposed in such a manner as to be rotatable, or the like. Since the touch pad and the trackball make it difficult to finely specify a position and force movement somewhat unnatural for a human hand, many users use such a portable type personal computer with the mouse 410 connected to the personal computer.
On the other hand, many users consider it bothersome to carry the mouse 410 together with a portable personal computer. In order to solve such a problem, Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2004-147272 describes a flip type portable telephone terminal formed so as to be divided at a hinge part with a side provided with a display element used as a mouse and a side provided with keys used as a ten key pad.
Returning to the description of FIG. 19, the computer apparatus 400 is further provided with a terminal for inputting and outputting analog audio signals. The terminal for inputting and outputting analog audio signals can be connected with a headset 411. The headset 411 has headphones 411A and a microphone 411B. The headset 411 can input sound collected by the microphone 411B as an analog audio signal to the computer apparatus 400, and reproduce an analog audio signal output from the computer apparatus 400 from the headphones 411A.
The computer apparatus 400 includes software for implementing an IP telephone on the computer apparatus. This software performs outgoing call processing and incoming call processing by the IP telephone, and performs telephonic communication by transmitting and receiving digital audio signals via the Internet.
When a user uses the IP telephone from the computer apparatus 400, the user has a telephone conversation using the headset 411. When calling, the user for example starts software for implementing the IP telephone on the computer apparatus 400, performs an off-hook operation on the software, and specifies a telephone number of a calling destination to thus perform a calling operation. After communication with the calling destination is established according to the calling operation, the user has a telephone conversation using the headset 411.
In the case of an incoming call, the software for implementing the IP telephone is started on the computer apparatus 400 and set in a standby state in advance. When there is an incoming call to the user, the software notifies the incoming call to the user by display on the screen of the computer apparatus 400, audio output and the like. When informed of the incoming call by the incoming call notification, the user performs an off-hook operation on the software, and has a telephone conversation using the headset 411.